Chicopee School Committee hears final State of the Schools presentation

Date: 4/11/2023

CHICOPEE — The last State of the Schools presentations took place during the April 5 Chicopee School Committee meeting, with an update on Litwin Elementary and Bowe Elementary schools.

Litwin Elementary School Principal Elizabeth Masse began by thanking her “amazing” administrative team including interim Superintendent Alvin Morton and Assistant Superintendent Matthew Francis.

Some of the school’s 2022-23 initiatives include the addition of a lü, which is an interactive playground.

“It transforms our physical education space into an interactive environment where students are engaged physically, intellectually and socially-emotionally,” said Masse. The lü incorporates all the subjects such as art, math and more.

Another recent addition to Litwin is “Inchy the Inchworm Book Machine.” In the classrooms, Masse said students are working to own gold coins as their overall reading performance improves. She noted that a few students have already used their coins to select a book from the machine.

A new event that Litwin hosted this year was a glow party. “At Litwin School, every year, our fifth graders celebrate their 1,000th day of school,” said Masse. If a student attends school for 180 days from kindergarten to grade 5, on the 100th day of their fifth grade school year, it is the 1,000th day. To honor this milestone, Litwin celebrated with a glow party.

The REACH program is for fourth and fifth grade “gifted” students, Masse said. To get into the program, testing is required. Masse shared a photo of fifth grade students that are working on their “invention convention” projects this year. She explained that the students select a real-world problem to solve and create a product or invention to solve it. When Masse asked some of the students what they were working on, she said she was “surprised” by the responses. While one student was working on ocean pollution, another was working on improving exit signs for blind people. “I really thought that was a thoughtful, real-world problem,” said Masse.

Masse went on to point out Litwin’s continued partnership with Lorraine’s Soup Kitchen. On the 1,000th day of school, the goal is to donate 1,000 non-perishable food items to Lorraine’s. She said they have met this goal every year.

Something Litwin students can look forward to in late spring/early summer is a spider climber that will be added to the playground.

Masse shared that Litwin’s own Tama Lang was the recipient of the 2022 School Counselor of the Year award given out by the Massachusetts School Counselor Association.

Litwin currently has 343 students enrolled.

Bowe Elementary School

Interim Principal Sherri Chrzanowski began by thanking the staff at Bowe for their assistance and support with her interim position.

She continued, “The staff at Bowe School is what really makes the school. The staff and the students are really the backbone of Bowe. They create the atmosphere and the community there.”
The first few slides that Chrzanowski shared with the School Committee were about the staff. The photos included the staff coming together for various activities, a holiday luncheon and updates to the teacher lounge, to name a few.

One of the community activities at Bowe was a trunk-or-treat put on by the Parent Teacher Organization. “As each child was leaving the last place that they went was a table and they received a free book,” said Chrzanowski.

At Bowe, there is a book nook that the community can visit and borrow a book from. Once the weather is nice, it will remain outside permanently in front of the school.

Chrzanowski noted that students did an American Heart Association fundraiser and like Litwin, also received a lü that is utilized and enjoyed by the students, said Chrzanowski.

The community garden has just received a nearly $2,000 grant from PeoplesBank. Chrzanowski said the garden attracts families during the summer to pick vegetables and more. “These events and activities are what make Bowe a real community, amongst the staff and the students and the families that live near our school,” she added.

Chrzanowski went on to highlight four initiatives at Bowe.

“Our STEAM lab engages the students in hands-on learning in science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics. It has been a phenomenal addition to the building,” she shared. This is the first year Bowe has had a full STEAM lab.

CKLA Amplify Reading, a literacy program, was implemented across the district this year.

Chrzanowski recognized the staff for embracing this program as it is “overwhelming to start a new program – especially a reading program.” Chrzanowski said students are truly engaged with this program and it shows when entering a classroom.

In the library, Chrzanowski said major updates have been made. This includes new furniture, magazines, monthly events and more. “We also have really worked hard to develop a connection with the community through our library,” said Chrzanowski. By using Follet, an online library service, students can access the library catalog from their computers at any time.

One of the last initiatives at Bowe is attendance and students of the month. Chrzanowski said they have been working hard to increase attendance each month. “Part of that is through our students of the month, where we acknowledge our students who are positive role models, have good attendance and have an outstanding attitude,” she shared. Students are selected based on attendance and class engagement.

Chrzanowski said a weekly attendance challenge has been ongoing. Each week, classes compete for best attendance and receive prizes for that attendance. Prizes might include extra recess,

Chrzanowski visiting the class to play Bingo and more. She noted that this initiative has increased student attendance and helped students and families take pride in being present.

Bowe currently has 421 students enrolled.